TURKIC world stands united: Op-ed

Kubanychbek Omuraliyev

The Turkic world demonstrated strong solidarity with and stood by the brothers and sisters in Türkiye in the face of widespread damage and loss of life that was caused by devastating series of earthquakes in southern and south-eastern regions of the country.

The experts refer to this earthquake as the catastrophe of the century not only in the continent but also in the world. The scale of devastation is massive, with many buildings and infrastructure severely damaged or destroyed. The loss of life is significant and the Turkic world has come together to support their Turkish brothers and sisters in this time of need.

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) countries sent a total of 1706 search and rescue and medical personnel, 53 rescue dogs, 9 field hospitals, more than 3 thousand tons of humanitarian aid to the area affected by the earthquakes. The OTS governments and ordinary citizens donated over 5 million US dollars to the people of Türkiye who are affected by the earthquakes and continue to send funds to special accounts opened in member states.

The OTS is playing a vital role in ensuring that the Turkic world comes together to support Türkiye in the aftermath of the earthquakes. The Organization continues to work in the direction of providing further assistance to help the earthquake-affected people in Türkiye and demonstrate solidarity with the Turkish brothers and sisters in their time of need.

I and my delegation, comprised of OTS staff, visited the capital Ankara and the earthquake zone to discuss the current relief operations, assess the situation on the ground, identify any further requirements, and express common brotherly solidarity of the Turkic World.

During the visit, we discussed insights into the current situation and drew conclusions for further work on the coordination of assistance from Member and Observer States in case of emergency and disasters, and how the OTS could provide the most effective assistance.

During my trip to Ankara I visited AFAD headquarters, where I held bilateral meetings with Vice President of Türkiye, Fuat Oktay, the Chairman of the OTS Council of Elders, Binali Yıldırım, and ministers and other high ranking government officials.

In the course of our meetings, we were apprised of the urgent requirement for tents, living containers, and heaters, particularly in light of the prevailing winter conditions, to accommodate the city’s inhabitants who had been forced to evacuate their homes owing to the extensive damage caused by the earthquake.

Furthermore, it was underscored that while more than 100 countries had extended aid to Türkiye, the support offered by the fraternal Turkic nations held a special significance and was deeply valued by the local population.

During our visit to the region, we were struck by the sheer devastation that had occurred and the challenges faced by the people in the area. We met local officials in Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Kahramanmaras and Hatay provinces, as well as the search and rescue and medical teams from OTS Member States, who were working tirelessly to provide assistance to those affected. We visited the camps of search and rescue teams, tent cities, and field hospitals built by OTS countries, as well as provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorate (AFAD) coordination centers. We were briefed on the situation on the ground, the scale of the disaster, and the challenges that they faced.

We saw the dedication and hard work of the search and rescue teams, health and other personnel from the OTS Member States, who saved so many lives at the earthquake zone. In addition to the emergency support personnel from OTS countries, the Turkic diaspora members, including students studying in Turkiye, mobilized to the area to take part in the search and rescue, as well as relief efforts.

Our visit allowed us to draw conclusions for further work on the coordination of assistance from Member and Observer States in the event of emergencies and disasters. It also became another testament to the OTS’s commitment to supporting its member states in times of need and its dedication to promote regional cooperation and solidarity.

* Kubanychbek Omuraliyev is the Secretary-General of the Organization of Turkic States